The Chairwoman of the Miami-Dade Democratic Party, Annette Taddeo-Goldstein, and the Chairman of the Republican Party of Miami-Dade County, Nelson Diaz, have joined their efforts to declare bi-partisan support on behalf of one of our community’s most vulnerable populations — child-victims of sex trafficking.

“While we may not always agree on certain policies, the Miami-Dade County Democratic and Republican parties are 100% committed to protecting the most vulnerable in our society, children. There is no such thing as partisanship when combatting the most insidious crimes, like child sex trafficking. We must all work together to ensure these victims receive the treatment they need and that the criminals who traffic in children spend their lives behind bars. After what we saw recently at an adult club in Miami Beach, no one can afford to sit on the sidelines; we must all do what we can to protect our children,” said Annette Taddeo-Goldstein, Chair of the Miami-Dade Democratic Party, and Nelson Diaz, Chair of the Miami-Dade Republican Party.

January is Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention Month. On Friday, January 24, 2014, we ask that you join us in support of Kristi House at the 2nd Annual Walk the Blue Carpet Event (http://www.kristihouse.org/blue-carpet-event/).

Kristi House became involved in the human trafficking movement in 2007 as the organization recognized that sex-trafficked children were victims of the severest form of child sexual abuse. Until Kristi House’s involvement — along with the dedication and perseverance of so many advocates — these children were referred to as “child prostitutes.” Kristi House launched its program with one laptop, a few dollars and an army of dedicated volunteers who would go out on the streets to find these children and direct them to services.

Today, with the help and collaboration of those courageous advocates, Kristi House wrote and introduced legislation in Florida and achieved the passage of the Florida Safe Harbor Act in 2012 with bi-partisan support. Now these children who were once viewed as criminals are recognized as the child-victims they are and are receiving services they desperately need to make their lives whole again.

Please join us and stand united in our commitment to end this epidemic and prevent the same harm to future generations.